Honey As A Dietary Antioxidant

New studies by scientists at the University of Illinois help to explain the dietary antioxidant advantages of honey.  One study showed that part of the dietary antioxidant properties of honey, has preservative qualities, that work on meat without compromising its taste.  Based on work undertaken on human blood, in the laboratory, a new study suggests that the dietary oxidants present in honey slow the oxidation of low-density lipoproteins.  Excess lipoproteins in the blood results in atherosclerotic plaque deposition.

In common with an earlier University study, scientists found that dark colored honey, particularly buckwheat, gives increased dietary antioxidant clout, compared to lighter colored honeys.  This shows that whilst more time is required to say that honey can be a dietary antioxidant, it does indicate its enormous potential in terms of antioxidant properties.

A recent study on dietary antioxidants, published online in the Journal of Agriculture and Food Chemistry, was the first to examine honey's effect on human blood.  Using a very precise method, the study found that the dietary antioxidants in honey are similar to those in many fruits and vegetables, in their ability to counter the effects of free radicals.

Free Radicals

Another name for an unstable oxygen atom is a free radical. As you will recall, from your school days, an atom has a nucleus containing protons and neutrons, around which electrons travel. All is well when the electrons are paired up, but problems crop up when an electron is not paired, as with unstable oxygen atoms. Then the free radicals steal electrons from balanced, or stable body cells and start a process called oxidation.

It was also reported that the dietary antioxidants contained in honey were more effective compared to traditional preservatives, such as butylated hydroxytoluene and tocopherol in slowing oxidation in cooked refrigerated ground turkey.  In both studies it was noted, that while the meat was browned during cooking more extensively than traditionally preserved products, taste was not negatively affected.

In another study, they measured the dietary antioxidant and phenolic contents in honey taken from various floral sources including clover, buckwheat, acacia, firewood, tupelo, and soybean.  Using the Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity or ORAC assay, they discovered that darker honeys have the highest value of dietary antioxidants.  ORAC is a tool that has been used for the past decade as a means of analyzing the same components in fruits and vegetables.

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